Join Lab-Aids at the Georgia Science Teachers Association Conference on February 22nd in Columbus, Georgia!
Make sure to mark your calendars to attend our workshops and stop by our booth to talk us.
WORKSHOPS:
Beyond the Slinky: A Glowing Waves Phenomenon
From Issues and Science: Third Edition
Date: 2/22 | Time: 1:00-1:50p | Location: Room 209
In this session, we will collect evidence that indicates that different colors of light carry different amounts of energy using the phenomenon of glow in the dark strips and a color filter. Because many students often predict incorrectly the results of applying the color filter to the glow in the dark tape, it becomes a memorable and teachable moment about which colors on the visible spectrum have the most energy. Using this qualitative evidence, we will then analyze and interpret light transmission graphs for three different sunglass lenses and determine which sunglass lens (structure) provides the best protection (function) for the eyes. A decision will be made using evidence from the phenomenon as well as evidence from the graph. A writing frame will be provided to help students organize their responses.
From Rocks to Riches: Where Should We Mine?
From EDC: Earth Science
Date: 2/22 | Time: 2:00-2:50p | Location: Sycamore D
In this activity from EDC Earth Science by Lab-Aids, participants will be a part of a mining company. Their job is to identify the location of a valuable mineral deposit. With a limited budget, they choose 10 (of 24 possible) simulated soil samples from strategic places along a river to test for the concentration of molybdenum. They use their results to try to determine the location of the molybdenum ore deposit. They then consider the trade-offs associated with undertaking the mining of the deposit. This lesson incorporates Earth science topics such as topography, sedimentation, and natural resource use as well as geochemistry using real world scenarios. A full kit of this lab will be given away to one an attendee of this session for use in their own classroom.
Sustainable for Who? Evaluating and Designing Fisheries Regulations in Your Ecology Unit
From Science and Global Issues: Biology
Date: 2/23 | Time: 1:00-1:50p | Location: Room 208
In this activity from Science and Global Issues Biology by SEPUP and Lab-Aids, students model the tragedy of the commons using a model lake and population of fish. First, students are tasked to harvest a resource (fish) without any regulations and evaluate the impact on the resource. Then, students model different types of fishing regulations in subsequent rounds of the model, from small subsistence fishing to larger commercial enterprises. Finally, students design and test their own regulations to see how their model compares to the previous ones tested. They reflect on the impact of their model vs the others on different groups in the community, and develop a sense of the nuances around sustainability and how one model is unlikely to meet the needs of all groups. Students will evaluate the tradeoff of their choices and examine who their models support and who gets left out as well as comparing the needs of the environment with the needs of the people in the environment who rely on the resource. The population dynamics resulting from different models and the discussion around sustainability can be used in future discussions with other ecological phenomena.